Educational device



March 27, 192s.

E. DWIGHT EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed May-l0.` 1926 IWI/vena z2 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

PAIE-INT ofFFiClE.

EDUCATIONAL 4JJEvIfni.

Application ined Maly 1o,

i My invention is an educa-tional device.y Said device is employed in explaining, ,vis-

`ua'lizing and teaching correct posturing, par ticula'rly in schools and among the young,

s and to which I lia-ve given the nnaine posture man.

In order that the principleof myinvention may be readily understood,I have disclosed one embodiment thereof in the 'accom- Fig. l shows in side elevation the figure or posture man'in perfectposture; and

Fig. 2 shows the.same,ffor contrastyin -i`n, correct posture. Y

The educational device or -socalled posture man'of my invention is netto be. confused with jointed dolls 'or oint'ed'fdollel'ike toys. Itis strictly an 'educational device, vand is intended to 'visualize orportray, i'n at least k a quasis'cientic manner, cor-rect posturing by moving the figurefor posture "man vfrom one position intothe other, and thus empha- `size'the differences. Itiswell establi-shed thatperfect postur-` ing.contributes as much jas, and lprobably more than, any other factor ftowardperfect health. Therefore, 'a mechanical device that will teach perfectposturingis of greate'ducational value. The object 'of the vdevice Tor posture man is first to demonstrate lor visualize perfiect posture, namely, with, 'the4 head up, chinin, chest forward, stomach in, the pelvis ,pulledu'pin frontend "down in back, with theknees just easy and 'the weight ofthe entire body alittle forward, and the second and equally important object -is to show how to correctimperfect posture. vThe second 'object of my invention is accomplished by placing the device or posture man in bad posture, namely, with the head forward, the chest slumped,ithereby causing dorsal curvature, Vthe stomach out, thereby thrusting the pelvis forward infront and u'pin lthe back, the knees liyperfextending and lthe weight back jupon ythe heels. Havingjplaced the device or posture man in such incorrect ,posture, the structure demonstrates, by movingthe parts of the figure, how this incorrect posture maybe corrected. This'jis done raising the head, drawing the 'chin in, "raising the chest, pulling the stomach Ain mand bending the knees very slightly, so that they are not stiff. It is then found thatI the weight is a little forward, and vthat the device or 'posture man is Ainacorrect posture, as 'in the first demonstration, It will be observed that the vprinciples involved 'in correcting the huin'an bodyfy are precisely thesamea's those involved in outline 'approaching thatof the human vboldly and made of a number of 'parts so ]o'1`nt'ed together thats'aid parts may be .swung or shifted relatively to each other so asy to b'ringthe'parts of the head and body into correct and incorrect posturesfor inspection and'demonstration by visualized.

comparison.

Inthat particular form lor embodiment 4of my invention herein. disclosed, 1I have provided a head1, which, by means Aof a suitable pin, rivet orothe'r fastener V2, preferably'metallic, is secured at the properposition to a piece 3. The piece?)I includes the neck and c'hestjor upper'portionofthe body. 'Said piece 3 preferably extends downward suliieiently y to include the region, of theloat- Aing ribs. The said piecefis itselflhinged or pivotally vconnef'itedat .4 to a piece '5 eorresponding tothe entire trunk portion of 'the body, so that the lower part of the piece 3 maybe brought'into perfect alignment with the upper portion ofthe piece 5 to demonstrate or visualize correctpost'uife, or it may be swungjeither way withrespect thereto to visualizev4 incorrectposture,l as, forexample, backward, as 'in 'l`ig.V '2, thus showing dorsal curvature, as at 6. Theupper arm 7 is'preferably pivoted at the'same point 4 asis the piece or memb'er. The lower arm 8 is pivoted at 9,]so that the upper and lower arm portion may be swung into any position. Pivotally secured at l0 of the trunk piece or torso 5 is provided 'a lower body portion 1 1, which includestlie stomach, `abdomen and pelvis of the body, so that when swung forward Ainto the 4incorrect posture position, shown inFig. 2, the stomach, abdo lmen and pelvis/are thrust out and forward,

and, the pelvis is somewhat elevated in the hack.

At lthe lower portion of the lower body portion llis pivotallysecured at 12 the upper' leg portiony 1-3, and at thelowerportion thereofv is pivoted atl/l thelower'leg and foot portion'l5. .It isevident when the `figure or posture man is in 'the correct position,

lio

Fig. l, it is of a greater length or height than when in the incorrect posture position of Fig. 2. 1

The ligure may be made of any suitableV material, such, for example, as cardboard, composition or light sheet metal. Preferably, however, I employ cardboard; `It is also evident that whereas I have shown but one arm and one leg, in other embodiments ot my invention two arms and two legs constructed as herein disclosed may be provided, particularly in, cases where vlike trunk pieces 5 are provided having located between them the upper and'lower members 3 and body portion 11.

The educational device of my invention may be em'ployedf'tor instruction of classes or individuals, vin schools, at the home, and elsewhere. Obviously and within the scope and purpose of my invention, the several pieces which make up the device or so-called posture man, especially when made of cardboard as hereinbetore stated, may be sold as a card-board or like sheet having all `the pieces outlined or markedk thereon in iull size and with the pivotal pointsinarked and all of thel pieces identified, so that the purchaser 'of such'card-board or the like may cut out the pieces and join them together at the indicated pivotal points, asy herein de-l scribed. Obviously the precisev points at which the various pieces are pivot-ally connected together may beV varied within the scope and purpose of my invention, so long as the object of the invention is retained, namely,fthe relative movement ot' the several pieces so as `to bring theA eiit-ire Iform into perfect posture or into incorrect posture for purpose of visual comparison andinstruction. i Y

Having thus described one Vembodiment of the article oiE my invention and the best mode known to me for carryingout the art or system coniprehended wit-hin the scope ot my invention, I desire it to be, understood that although specilic termsare employed, they are used in a. generic and descriptive sense and not 'for purposes ot limitation, the scope of the invention being set i'orth in the following claims.

l.. An educational device or so-called posture man consistingi ot' a seriesotI substanti ally flat pieces, together representing in si de view the contour of the human form, and pivotally connected together, so that each may chest and when thrown into another position causing the chest to recede and rounding the back.

,2. An educational device or so-called pos-A ture mank consisting of a'. series of substantially flat pieces, together representing in sidev view the contour of the human form, K

said pieces lincluding a head, an upper body portion, a trunk portion and a. lower body Y portion, all inovably connected together so that each may be moved Arelatively to the others, thereby to bring the form orpor-v tions thereof into incorrectposture for pur- Y pose ot'visual comparison and instruction, said upper body portion being shaped' to simulate the upper portion ofthe backand body portion and upper and lower limbs,

all in'ovably connected together,so that each may be moved relatively to the others, thereby to bring the form or portions thereof into incorrect posture for purpose of 'visualV comparison and instruction, said upper body portion being shaped to simulate the upper portion of the back andthe chest, said portion when thrown into one position advancing the chest, and when thrown into another position causing the chest to recede and rounding the back, andthe lower body portion being shaped to simulate the abdominal region and the lowerpartrof the back, said portion when thrown into one position withdrawing the abdominal portion, and when thrown into another positi'onradvancing the abdominal portion. e f

4. An educational device orso-called posture man consisting of a series of substantially flat pieces, together representing` in side view the contour of the human form, said pieces including a head, an upper body portion to which the head is pivot-ally attached and a trunk portion to which said upper body portion is pivotally attached, said upper bodyl portion having a chest edge and a back edge and pivotally connected to the trunk portion-for relative swinging movement flatwise ot each other whereby the parts may be relatively moved so as to illustrate perfect posture when in one position and when in another-to simulate the bad posture known as dorsal curvature.

5. An educational device or so-called posture man consisting of a series of substantially fiat pieces, together representingrin side view the contour of the human form, said pieces including a trunk portionand aV iis usoV

lower body portion, the latter having a front or stomach edge and a back or pelvis edge, said pieces being pivotally connected, for flatwise swinging movement, whereby they may be moved to demonstrate perfect posture or may be moved to thrust the stomach or abdomen and pelvis portion forward andthe pelvis portion upward at the rear, said lower body portion having a front edge simulating the abdominal area which, when thrown into one position protrudes, and which, when thrown into another position, is withdrawn.

6. An educational device or so-called posture man consisting of a series of substantially flat pieces, together representing in side view the contour of the human form, said pieces including an upper body portion, a trunk portion and lower body portion, and said upper body portion and lower body portion being pivoted to the` trunk portion for relative flatwise swinging movement, whereby they may be swung into position to demonstrate perfect posture and also into contrasting position to demonstrate dorsal curvature and protrusion of the abdomen and pelvis.

7. An educational device or so-called `posture man consisting of a series of substantially flat pieces, together representing in side view the contour of the human form, said pieces including a head piece 1, upper body portion 3, trunk portion 5, a lower body portion 11 and arm and leg members having pivotal connection to said trunk por- Vtion and shaped substantially as herein shown for the purpose of demonstrating` correct and incorrect postures, said upper body portion 3 having a front edge simulating the chest and a rear edge simulating the back to be thrown respectively into two positions, and the lower body portion l1 having a front edge simulating the abdominal region.

8. An educational device or so-called posture man as a separate article of manufacture consisting` of a series of substantially flat pieces together representing in side view the contour of the human form, said pieces consisting of a head, an upper body portion having a neck, to which the head is pivotally attached, a trunk portion to which said upper body portion is pivotally attached, said upper body portion having front and rear edges which when swung forward indicate an expanded chest position and when swung rearward indicate a round-shouldered position, a lower body portion pivoted to said trunk portion and having a front edge whichv consisting of a head, an upper body por-v tion having a neck, to which the head is pivotally attached, a trunk portion to which said upper body portion is pivotally attached, said 'upper body portion having front and rea-r edges which Vwhen swung forward indicate an expanded chest position and when swung rearward indicate a round shouldered position, aV lower body portion pivoted to said trunk portion and having a front edge which when swung forward indicates a typical position, and a leg pivotally connected to the lower partof the lower body portion, and an arm pivoted co-aXially with said upper body portion.

10. For usel as an educational device or so-called posture man, a series of flat` pieces which, when pivotally connected together at predetermined points, represent in side view the contour of the human form, the said pieces including Va head piece l, an upper body portion 3 to which in assembled position the said head piece l is pivoted for relative flatwise movement, a trunk portion 5 to which when in assembled position said upper'body portion 3 is pivotally connected for latwise movement, the lower body portion 1l to which when in assembled position the trunk portion 5 is pivotally connected for flatwise movement, arm members which when assembled are pivotally connected to said trunk portion 5 for flatwise movement, and leg members which when assembled arel directly pivotally connected to said lowerk body portion 11 for flatwise movement, said pieces being shaped substantially as herein shown for the purpose of demonstrating correct and incorrect postures when assembled; said upper body portion 3 having a front edge simulating the chest and rear edge simulating the back, adapted, when as- 's'embled,'to bel thrown respectively into two positions, and the lowerl body portion 11 having a front edge simulating the abdominal region. Y

In testimony whereof, I lhave signed my name to this specification.

ELIZABETH DWIGHT. 

